Just tying up a few loose ends on this Friday morning before a week's 'holiday'. After a weekend when we will catch up with our grandchildren( and their parents), I have the task of decorating the study during the week. I mentioned this in an email to the secretary of Churches Together in Harrogate who sent me this -
Enjoy the emulsion. “I will enter the study with a paint brush in my hand, I will enter the room with praise; I will say this is the week when the study will be done, I will rejoice for it will make me glad. It will make me glad, it will make me glad…”
I am not sure I will be able to sing that song again. But at least it was not one of my favourites.
I dashed home on Wednesday evening after the induction of the new president of Churches Together in Harrogate. It was good to be there and support Ian from St Paul's URC( fellow Scot and member of the St Andrew's society) who was taking on this role. Ian spoke briefly about his hopes for this year and used words from Galatians to set the scene. He quoted from Galatians 6:10 - 'Whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith'.
Paul's words are a reminder of the challenge to the church to look out towards the community while not forgetting the need to also look towards the community of faith. It brought to mind the well worn words about 'gathering for worship and scattering for mission'. In these days sometimes the emphasis seems at times entirely on the call to 'scatter for mission'. But we will surely only be able to do that effectively if we 'gather for worship'.
The reason I dashed home was to watch the UEFA cup final. I managed to see the last 15 minutes of the first half and the rest of the game. Disappointing result for this Rangers supporter who had hoped that his team might win a European trophy for the second time. This disappointment was intensified by the after march actions of a mindless minority who did the reputation of Rangers fans no good at all.
